Chapter 24
Rachel
((Tobias! Tobias! Answer me, damn it!)) I yelled. I had morphed to wolf faster than I ever had before. I figured the wolf was fast, not as fast as a grizzley, but it was less risk of hurting Tobias as a wolf.
Tobias remained silent and I knew he was either asleep or unconscious, I didn't know which. I knew hew as alive; I could feel him breathing in my jaws. I ran as fast as I could. I flew through the woods as a flash of grey. I ran so fast that the wolf in me was telling me to slow to stop; but I pushed it further; I would not take no for an answer.
After what seemed like an eternity, I broke from the trees near Cassie's farm and I headed into the barn; knowing no one would be out there that late. I set Tobias down and demorphed. I carefully picked him up again and set him down on a hay bale. "I'll be right back" I told him and broke into a run to Cassie's house after seeing she wasn't out with the animals. When I was almost to the house, Cassie emerged from it.
"Rachel?" She asked, looking surprised. I skidded to a stop, breathing heavily.
"Tobias…sick…barn…" I panted out between gasps. Cassie seemed to have understood and ran for the barn, me in tow, exhausted from my journey. Cassie knelt down beside Tobias and frowned.
"Is he ok?" I asked.
"I don't know. He doesn't look…I should get my dad or my mom, they would know what to do."
"Cassie, we can't!" I said urgently. She sighed and looked defeated.
"We'll have to try and figure out what's all wrong."
"How long is that going to take?" I asked, fearing the worst for Tobias.
"I don't know." Cassie said, her voice defeated.
"Cassie! You've got to! You're the expert!"
"No I'm not! I've never….I don't diagnose. My parents can…"
"NO! We can't have you're parents involved." Cassie sighed, knowing I was right.
"Tell me everything you know." Cassie said.
"What?"
"About Tobias. Symptoms, when it started, anything."
I felt my mind grow blank. I shook myself mentally. Think Rachel Think!
"I don't"
"Yes you do!" Cassie said urgently. I closed my eyes and recounted my day with Tobias. She nodded and looked thoughtful.
"Look, I'm going to do a couple of tests, you go and call the others. We need to figure out what to do." Cassie said and picked up Tobias and left my sight. I sighed and crossed to the barn phone, feeling more scared than I ever thought possible.